Hi Reader,

One of our favorite podcasts is The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett, who recently interviewed renowned author and marketing expert, Seth Godin. Godin spent a few minutes talking about one of his hobbies, juggling, and we realized that what he shared has a lot to do with negotiations.

We'll explain what juggling and negotiations have anything to do with each other below, but first:

Last chance to RSVP for our two live events next week, one over Zoom and another in-person if you're based in San Francisco!

Tue, october 6, 12pm PT / 3pm ET (over zoom): live CASE STUDY SESSION

Our Zoom session will be Tuesday, 10/6, at 12pm PT / 3pm ET. On this call, we'll walk through one of our real client negotiations that resulted in a $215K / 41% increase over the initial offer.

​You'll see exactly how our advice played out, from the first recruiter call to the signed offer. We'll cover:

• ​The client's situation going in, including the role, the initial offer, and what was at stake.
• ​How we approached the negotiation, and the thinking behind the key decisions.
• ​What the client actually said and did at important moments in the process.
• ​What worked, what didn't, and the lessons you can take into your own negotiations.
• ​Q&A to help you apply all of this to your situation.

Register for the session here: https://luma.com/i6fbn0md​

thu, october 9, 7:30pm (in-person): negotiations for founders panel for SF tech week

If you're a founder, this one's for you! We'll be hosting a live in-person panel on negotiations for founders for SF Tech Week by a16z. We’ll cover negotiations ranging from negotiating equity with your cofounder, negotiating and closing business deals, and negotiating term sheets.

RSVP here: https://partiful.com/e/yXpKmLWYFjpzXrtKxW6n​

It's about the throwing, not the catching

Godin spent a few minutes telling Steven Bartlett how he teaches people to juggle, and it's become one of our favorite ways to explain salary negotiations to clients.

Picture someone picking up juggling for the first time. The first ball goes up and comes down fine, but within two or three throws one sails off to the side. "They lunge to catch it, but now they're out of position, and the next one's going to hit the ground," Godin said.

According to Godin, beginners fail because they think juggling is all about catching. As he explained, "If you get good at the first part (the throwing), the last part (the catching) takes care of itself."

When Godin teaches people to juggle, he focuses solely on the throwing. You throw one ball and catch it until you're bored, then move to two balls: "throw, throw, catch, catch." After 20 minutes of that, Godin said, "every ball's landing exactly where it's supposed to, and now juggling is easy."

Salary negotiation works similarly. When clients first come to us, their questions are almost always about the catch: "What should I say when I get the verbal offer?" or "How much should I ask for in my counteroffer?"

Of course these questions matter, and we spend plenty of time strategizing this part. But the strongest offers start taking shape from the very first recruiter call, and this mental model has helped our clients land average first-year comp increases of $55-$75K on top of their initial offers.

Our most successful clients get three throws right from the start:

1. DEFLECT THE SALARY QUESTION

Early on, the recruiter will ask what you're looking for in terms of comp. If you share a number/range that falls below their budget, you've just left money on the table. Even if they had more in their budget, you just shared that you'd be happy with a lower number, so they have no incentive to give you more.

And if the number/range you shared is above their budget, you've introduced risk that the company thinks you're too far apart on comp expectations that you wouldn't be happy even if they gave you their true maximum, which means you present as a higher flight risk (companies want to hire people who are committed for the long-term).

Compare these two answers:

vs

The number you want might still be possible later, once you've proven that you can meet, if not exceed, the job requirements and when the team wants you even more.

2. Gather information

Use the early conversations to learn what the company needs and how badly it needs it. Maybe there's a big product launch coming and they need someone in the seat ASAP, or two people on the team just left and they're scrambling to backfill.

Simple questions get you there without sounding like you're digging. For example, "Are there any drivers that are accelerating the hiring timeline for this role?" or "What would you need this person to have accomplished in the first six months?" Every answer gives you something to point back to to make your case to be paid more when the offer arrives.

3. Show genuine enthusiasm

Hiring teams find room in the budget for people they don't want to lose, especially to a competitor. If you've navigated the process convincing them specifically why you want this role and why you're the perfect fit, they'll believe a strong offer will get a yes, and they'll work harder to put one together.

In practice, that could be telling the hiring manager, "Throughout the interviews, I learned much more about what I'll be doing in this role. I'm excited at the possibility of joining the team so that I can do a/b/c, as this is exactly what I did in my previous job where I achieved x/y/z result."

Companies want to hire people who will be excited to work there. That means you'll be motivated on onboard quickly and do your best work, and be a pleasant co-worker that fits in well with the team. Show enthusiasm from the start, and the hiring team won't question your commitment if they do decide to extend an offer.

Get the throws right

Seth closed his point about juggling by mentioning practice: "the outcome's out of our control. The practice is under our control."

When job searching, you don't control the company's budget or how many other candidates are in the pipeline. You do, however, control what you say, starting from that first recruiter call, so don't forgo these early negotiation tactics. Get the throws right, and the offer conversation will be easier.
​

Warmly,

Gerta & Alex

Founders, YourNegotiations.com

P.S. Are you job searching or have upcoming negotiations?

If you have an offer coming or are mid-process, we’re always happy to help you think through how to approach it. Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/alexhapki/call​

P.P.S. Know someone interested in negotiations?

Send them our way and we’ll thank you with $250 for each person who becomes a client. No cap.

A quick intro or an email to alex@yournegotiations.com works.